The Epitome of Stupidity

If you were wondering how far into absurdity the world of sports can actually fall, let me be the one that brings you a little dose of idiocy. As I settled into my hotel room, I unpacked my laptop and turned on the TV. It's a Saturday afternoon and I'm just flipping through the channels...waiting for the CWS to start. Ladies and gentlemen I tell you this is the most ridiculous thing I've seen.

NBC was showing something called the "World Series of Golf." I sat for a few minutes waiting to see a leader board, maybe a name I would recognize from the PGA Tour. Not so much. This activity, because it's not a sport, takes poker players to a golf course where they bet on each shot, hole, and putt. Yes, you heard me correctly.

We all go out with our buddies and drop a few ducks, or play for a cold beer at the turn. But going all in on a 6' putt is just wrong. The game, from what I gathered from the few minutes that I sat dumbfounded in front of the TV, starts on the tee box as if your on the "button" at the poker table. Each swing of the club, good or bad, is like getting another card. If you're in good shape, up the bet, and hope to win the hole and the pot.

I've started to look at this poker programing like infomercials. Always on when you actually have time to do something else. For instance, slamming your hand in the car door. To the guy that thought this thing up: Your ignorance is immeasurable!!!

Technorati Tags:world series of golf, poker
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Hitless in Goochland

Goochland County, Virginia has become a new pitching stud farm. Case in point:

It was mid April when Ben Verlander of Goochland County High School pitched a 5 inning no-hitter in a JV baseball game against Amelia County High School. In the varsity game later that day, starting pitcher Kameron Wilds threw a No-No against the same school. A few days later, Brian Jordan got his No-No against Buckingham County High School on the bump for Goochland. Not to be outdone, Ben's older brother, Justin Verlander (a Goochland grad), had to one up his little brother and throw a No-No in the Bigs. I don't know what they've got in the water up in GOOCHLAND, but I'm sure there is somebody going to check these kids out. Or at least I hope so.

Technorati Tags:goochland high school, no-hitter
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Pac Man Fever!

I found this take on Mr. Pac-Man Jones amusing:

Maybe Pac-Man would care about the Titans if they redesigned the locker-rooms with a state of the art lighting and sound system, ten-dollar valet parking, velvet ropes, disco balls, lots-o-mirrors, crunk juice, three drink minimums, seedy drug dealing bathroom attendants, blue balled, pissed off bartenders and a posse of coked-up, strung-out, rode hard & hung-up wet, lap-dancing, junior college drop-outs. Just a thought.

Don't forget the pole. Check out the blog here. In case you are wondering (as I was) where exactly Adam Jones got the nickname Pac-Man look no further:

TSN: So, how did you get your nickname?

JONES: When I was a baby, I'd usually go to the bottle like a Pac-Man machine, so my mom called me that, and it stuck with me. [Excerpt from interview here.]

Ah, that makes sense.

Technorati Tags:pac man jones, adam jones, strippers
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Too Much Hunt, Not Enough Man

I just saw this little tidbit in the news concerning the game Manhunt 2 and figured I'd weigh in on this one. The tidbit:

Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software said on Thursday it has suspended plans to sell "Manhunt 2" after the title was slapped with restrictive ratings for its extreme violence.

Well, now. Before we go further, let's check out the reaction.

British Board of Film Classification Director David Cooke said they didn't much care for the game due to

"its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game."

Wow, "sustained and cumulative casual sadism." I suppose 'sporadic and specific' sadism would have been acceptable. I would also think that "visceral killing" could be quite a bit more than a 'little' alleviating when escaping an insane asylum which I'm sure rivals Dante's Inferno for punishment. But that's just me. Take-Two Interactive Software Chairman Strauss Zelnick said nah-baby-nah:

"We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game...['Manhunt 2'] brings a unique, formerly unheard-of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment. It is also a fine piece of art. I stand behind it fully."

Funny thing is, they are probably both right in their own cocktail circles. There isn't much in the way of analysis of the game's plot line other than it appears one has to fight one's way out of an insane asylum. Probably with more than a compelling argument.

This happens every once and awhile--someone tries to push the envelope for what's acceptable in a video game. I especially appreciate the "bleakness and callousness of tone" which they claim exists in the game. Shocking. The problem for Take-Two is the list of stores which sell 'Adult Only' video games is basically Truck Stops. Unless they tone it down, which Cooke claims he doesn't think they can do, it might be hard to sell the thing.

I never played Manhunt 1, so I can't can't comment on whether or not there may be redeeming factors in the franchise. I'm sure it's entertaining at some level. I have played a wide variety of games in which the basic premise is to kill people, steal things, blow stuff up, blah blah blah. This must be really bad, which almost makes me want to see what all the fuss is about. Almost. (I found a preview of the game. WARNING: if you don't enjoy stuff along the lines of say, the Saw movies, DO NOT watch this.)

Take-Two should be fine however, because their golden child, Grand Theft Auto IV, hits stores in October. A previous version of that game (San Andreas) sparked a Congressional inquiry when people found a 'sexual encounter' in the game. I can't wait.

I don't really mind ratings on video games, at least anymore than I care about them on movies, TV shows, or music. Of course, I'm over 18 and don't produce media that people rate. Most kids probably use 'em as a beacon, and like moths to a flame...

Professor's Addendum: Apparently the game is banned from sale in the UK, which is a whole different monster. Being hard to buy due to a rating is one thing. Completely banning the thing is quite another. After I watched the preview I found it's not a game I would particularly enjoy, but then I don't like many things others do. Slap a nasty rating on it and move on. One much more in-depth irate reaction is here.

Technorati Tags:manhunt, manhunt 2, video games
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

And then there were 2: OSU v UNC

We have a rematch of last year's finals in Omaha. The defending champs of Oregon State and the Tar Heels of North Carolina square off in what should be a dandy. OSU is 2-0, and the Heels are 4-2. However, they start a 'Best of Three' series with a clean slate. Tune in on Monday for reaction to Whitey being right, or the Beavers going back-to-back.

Just for the record: Whitey is torn, but happy there is still a ping or two left in the season.

Play Ball!

more at twiigs.com...

The Case for/against Sammy Sosa

With Sammy hitting his 600 HR this week, there has been much discussion concerning whether or not this number will be enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. Without any evidence (other than the circumstantial) connecting him to the steroids hullabaloo, there seems to be little reason to keep him out.

Yes, Sammy became bigger. Yes, Sammy hit his home runs during an era with a not-so-small cloud over it. And yes, he claimed not to speak English during the Senate hearing. And was caught with a corked bat. But here are some numbers:

1. From 1993-2004 Sosa averaged close to 49 HR per season, and over his 18year career has averaged over 33 HR per season. Sammy remains the only player to hit over 60 HR's three times. For comparison, Bonds has hit over 50 only once with his 73 in 2001.
   
2. From 1995-2003 he averaged over 127 RBI's per season. For his career? Over 90 RBI's per year.
3. His OBP is an excruciatingly low .344 for someone with that many HR's. He walked over 100 times only twice.
4. His SLG percentage is even worse: .535 for his career ranks him 39th, behind Jim Thome and Jason Giambi and just ahead of Jim Edmonds.

Sosa was never considered a fantastic defensive player, so one can discount that aspect. He never had a truly bad batting average until the last couple of years (.273 overall). The real sticking point is, obviously, how genuine are these stats? He needs to be judged against those in his era, and I'm not paying the $29.99 to sort all those stats for you.

My gut reaction is he should be in, though he most likely will not make it on the first ballot judging by the vote Mark McGwire received this past go-round. That's fine, I understand the strange phenomena that claims, "Well, he's a Hall of Famer, but not a first ballot Hall of Famer." Whatever, it's not like the guys are getting better in retirement (unless you're Phil Rizzuto).

Put him in. Or just add a little asterisk room for Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire-but remember-steroids were not a banned substance in baseball back then (of course, they were illegal...) There are plenty of cheaters in the Hall of Fame (Gaylord Perry anyone?), and as Whitey says, "If you aren't cheatin' you ain't trying to win."

more at twiigs.com...

Your pumpkin awaits

Whitey picked the Beavers last year, and they are looking better this year. The Anteater's glass slippers got sent packing by the defending champs last night. The Beavers return only two starters form their championship team of a year ago. One of them, the catcher Mitch Canham (the 57th pick by the San Diego Padres), has come to play. He's the anchor of this squad and doing a great job. The Beavers are set to try and do something that hasn't been done in 10 years. Repeat. The last team to pull off this feat: Gorilla Ball U, LSU out of the SEC. They did it with monster home runs and good pitching. They scored runs in bunches. This is why with a 9 run lead you see the winning team keeping the pedal to the metal. Back in that era, and even now, that lead is not safe. Just refer to the Rice's comeback against the Louisville Cardinals a few days ago.

You do have to give it up to UC Irvine. They came into this Final 64 and were laughed as the Professor eluded to in an earlier post. You can't find their merchandise in Omaha. Do you think that was a snub or just getting caught by surprise? The last time I checked the NCAA was in the money making business. Maybe it has to do with the fact that they took out #4 Texas, Wake Forest, and I guess I'll throw Brown in there just so they can prove they were in a regional. Come on! You have one of the top programs in Austin, Texas, coached by the great Augie Garrido, along with the Demon Deacons who fell one run short of beating the Tar Heels in the ACC tournament. You think UC Irvine? Right.

Next they traveled to Wichita State and took the Shockers (2-0) in a fashion that even alum Joe Carter thought was a nightmare. It was reality, sorry Joe. So as one can see, they came from nowhere and made a huge splash in Omaha. I guarantee the admissions office is getting an overflow of applications. Florida, after winning there championships got a big spike. I assume the same would be true for such a showing for the Anteaters.

It was a great story to watch and at times I found myself actually rooting for those guys. They showed what college baseball is all about. Heart! We'll have to wait until next year to see if the experience gets them back to Omaha. There's a good chance after a showing like this.

10W-40, or 30 Weight?

I just couldn't resist this. It's good to see that Team USA has started play, and it's guys like "Oil-Can" that make baseball fun after they're gone from the Bigs.

Stop the MADNESS!

VS

In case you haven't checked lately, wooden bats are expensive. Louisville Sluggers are ranging from $25 to $130 each. Yesterday, as I watched Around the Horn, Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times said that aluminum bats were dangerous and should be replaced by wood. In college, not all teams have the luxury of the boatloads of money that many of their counterparts have. I'll go a step further.

The way a wooden bat is held is totally different. If you were to swing at an inside pitch (and connect) you break your bat, or at least bruise your hands bad enough to send you to the DL for a good week. If you catch that one with an aluminum bat, your pinkie stings for a minute, and you still have your "Wonder Boy".

At the Baseball Winter Meetings last December, the Professor and I had the privilege to see an aluminum bat which had a unique grip. I believe it was an independent bat maker, and the name escapes me, however it caused you to grip an aluminum bat the same way you would grip a wooden bat. The Don Mattingly V-Grip model, if I recall correctly. I said to the Professor, "This feels amazing in your hands." Mattingly did hit a little in his day.

The majority of injuries in baseball are due to improper sliding, such as sprained ankles and abrasions. As far as safety goes, aren't we the nation that straps helmets to our children and have them thump heads on the gridiron? Just look at Troy Aikman, Steve Young, or any of the 'Old School' football players and the way concussions have come to the forefront.

On Sports Law Blog there is an interesting article on this very subject. It states that baseball is the safest sport of all with 6.1 injuries per 1000 players. There are only 0.11 "catastrophic injuries" per 100,000 players. That's 0.0001%. I know this is no consolation to those who have been injured by a come backers. I wish you health.

And all woods are not made alike either. What's next? Mr. Bonds won't be using that Canadian Maple to send the 'Million Dollar Ball' into the stands? Ash is the most used wood, due to its abundance, rather than its density. Want density? Let's swing lignum vitae. For those of you who avoided Botany 466, that wood is three and a half times stronger than a Red Oak (and sinks in water)! Get the point? The aluminum bat companies, along with many baseball programs, have incorporated the 'technology' with safety by increasing the length to weight ratio (3 inches longer than the weight in ounces). This simulated the weight of the wood, so the aluminum can not be swung faster than wood.

The ping is the way that allows kids to play on a daily basis, and gives that smaller guy the ability to get a base hit, or even a dinger. Stop with the bashing of the bats. There is no economic way to keep the game invented by Americans back long before Political Correctness came to the plate. A good aluminum bat that will last as long as your child's playing career costs in the $35 range. The ball coming off the bat .02 seconds quicker is the price you pay to be "The Man on the Bump", with all eyes on you. I'd take 60' 6" and aluminum bats before I went on a crossing route with Ronnie Lott looking for my head!

Eater Nation!

For the first time in history at the CWS or in post-season play, a team has won consecutive extra innings game. I thought I'd seen just about all there was to see, but I was wrong. Apparently Cinderella's clock is set on Pacific Standard Time. The Anteaters took out the #5 Sun Devils in 10 innings after that 13 inning marathon against the Titans. You can now officially call them the "over achievers" from UC Irvine. They had a great year, but if you thought they would get a shot at the champs of a year ago, I say that's just kooky talk.

They now face the same, yet more difficult road, to the championship. The Tar Heels have a loss, as well as the Anteaters. However Carolina used 3 pitchers in their regulation length game. UC Irvine used everybody but the bat boy to get here. Carolina faces Rice in a rematch today in the early game, and the Beavers get to build a dam to stop the flood that is UC Irvine. Both teams are in a hole. It will take some crafty pitching with a little offense, so don't count them out.

Today the rubber hits the road. One loss and either the Anteaters or the Tar Heels go home. The Owls and Beavers look to be headed for the championship series due to this little nugget: 15 of the past 17 champs have come from the winners brackets. Winning 2 games sets you up to rest your bullpen and position players, a luxury that the losers bracket doesn't get. I know that your average team wouldn't have taken 23 innings, or a record number of pitchers, to get to this point, but they have and they live to play another day.

Professor's Addendum: With such a great story brewing in UC Irvine I figured we would add a picture of the ubiquitous 'Eater Nation' t-shirts to Whitey's post, which by now are everywhere in Omaha. Not so fast. I can't find 'em. Can't even find a picture. I did find this very interesting article, which states that Irvine has had to "jump through hoops" to try and get their apparel on the streets in Omaha due to licensing problems. Obviously the independent vendor has none of these problems, but for the official NCAA website (ncaasports.com) to offer a grand total of 0 Anteater products speaks to the not-so-amateur status of college athletics nowadays. When we find 'em, our loyal readers will be the first in line...

Jiffy Lubing Us

I made what appears now to be a grievous error in judgment when I decided to take my car into ye ole Jiffy Lube for an oil change last week. The video above documents more than a few California Jiffy Lube's greasing their customers for work not performed. [Full disclosure: So far as I can tell this video was shot during a period of May through October of last year by a local news watchdog in LA.]

This story has been running wild on the net, but I've been slightly reluctant to weigh in on the topic as I was waiting for some upper level response from Jiffy Lube, other than, "This is unacceptable," or, "Changes will be made."

Well, changes were made all right. In California. At a couple stores. They fired those caught on tape. Nothing sings corporate cover-up like a company who refuses to address rather serious allegations in any rational form. I'm not sure who is in charge of PR for this outfit, but they must have attended the Floyd Landis School for Damage Control. I particularly like the gentleman who lies about being a district manager. Wonderful.

So what makes me think this can't happen to me? Uh...nothing. I hope I actually got the oil change I paid for. I probably enjoy local news quite a bit less than the next guy, but this is the kind of stuff which makes watching the firemen save Aunt Jinny's cat worth your time. Maybe I'm wrong; I found this on their website:

We're Committed to Excellent Service

At Jiffy Lube^®, we strive to exceed your expectations every time you visit us — from the moment you drive onto the lot until the time you drive away. We take this goal so seriously, we're 100% committed to your satisfaction.

Well, that's reassuring. At least they're not serving us goat. Oh and by the way, next time you're in California I'd avoid EZ Lube as well.

Tarred Feathers

The Louisville Cardinals are done for the year. It's sad to see them going, but it just keeps my pick alive. Carolina scored their runs on an error and a few scattered hits, but the bats of the Cards went silent into the night. The Tar Heels pitching came to life after being shelled in the first loss. I think that may be the reason they played loose. Last year they left Omaha as losers. They won the first of the 3 game Championship Series, before Oregon State turned on the light switch and took home the trophy. This was Louisville's first trip to Rosenblatt, and I'm sure not their last.

After scoring 99 runs in 10 game this post season, they only plated 1 this afternoon. They woke some people up this year in the CWS by sending the Bulldogs home and playing today with all they had. This my friends is nothing to sneeze at.

Now the tricky part. North Carolina has to beat those Owls of Rice twice, before losing once. This is going to be a rematch of the blowout earlier this week. Rice will be ready, and they are rested. Coming off the win today may carry the first game to the Tar Heels in the next round; however, the Owls have been ranked in the Top 5 just about all year. Should be a dandy. Heels playing to stay alive and the Owls looking to punch their ticket to the SHIP.

Yikes

Yet another reason, if you needed one, to hate the Redskins. Or pity them.

Swing and a miss!

Derrek Lee and Chris Young got into it on Saturday, with the resulting suspensions weighing in at five games apiece. For those who don't know this story, Young plunked Lee in the left hand with a pitch. Unfortunately, his hand happened to be right next to his head.

We got, "I really don't mind getting hit..." from Lee and, "I will say this, I didn't throw at him..." from Young. Lee went on to mention he didn't particularly like getting hit with a ball aimed for his skull and some of the words Young uttered afterwards: "...he said some things to me I didn't like. It just escalated."

Yeah, you could say that. One theory is that the pitch was retaliation for Alfonso Soriano showboating on a homer the night before. Wha? Young had a no-hitter at the time. And, um, Lee doesn't resemble Soriano the last time I checked. I had a bit of a debate with Whitey over this same issue when Ted Lilly of the Cubs smacked Edgar Renteria (Braves) with a pitch...in the first inning. Lilly was tossed and the Cubs' bullpen was left to finish the game. That supposedly started two days before after Soriano (hmmm...) hit three home runs in a game. The next day Tim Hudson planted a two-seamer square in Soriano's back. So, of course, the next day Lilly then aims one at Renteria (who had a good game the night before) and...well, you get the idea.

I don't mind the 'unwritten rules' of baseball, in fact I kind of enjoy them. But c'mon people, aim for the perpetrator why don't you? I don't think Young meant to hit Lee, and he's obviously not going to own it even if he did. Take your base and move on. Or do what Renteria did--steal second and land a forearm across the second baseman's dome. Gotta be his fault.

Winning with a 6 in the E stat?

CS FULLERTON - 010 020 100 000 0 --4

UC IRVINE - 000 102 100 000 1 -- 5

The Anteaters of UC Irvine sent the Titans home early from the CWS. This was not your novice fans game. 13 innings, 5 hours, and 40 minutes (the longest game in CWS history) of baseball with only 9 runs crossing the plate the entire game. Take into consideration that the CWS started in 1950, and has been a tradition in Omaha ever since. Something that jumped off the line for me was that the Anteaters committed more errors than runs scored. They committed 6 errors while the Titans played without a mistake. This is not the first time this has happened in a baseball game, but it is an oddity.

Both pitching staffs put 3 guys on the hill, all of which pitched very well. Survival is the key to the elimination game, so give props to the coaches for staying with their guys. Sometimes managers will jerk a pitcher off the mound on a gut feeling, but these guys went down fighting with all they had. This puts UC Irvine in a better position to play their next game with most of their arms ready.

Arizona St. seems to be their likely opponent in the next elimination game, after being thumped by the Beavers. Oregon St. seems to be comfortable in Omaha after making their 3rd appearance in 3 years. This year the Beavers are 15 of 16 in stolen bases at the CWS, and that's just sick. Last year they took home the trophy, and it doesn't look like they want it to reside any other place than the Pacific Northwest. The Beavers jumped on the Sun Devils with both feet early and often.

As I sit here watching the game, my mind wonders, "Where is my favorite college baseball color analyst?" I'll say it, HR! Harold Reynolds. I think that this is the hardest thing to deal with as an observer of the CWS, and the Little League World Series also. Yes, Joe Morgan is the best at the professional level, but HR is second only to him. HR played his college ball up at OSU, and I'm sure it hurts for him not to be there to watch his beloved Beavers make a run at a back to back. Where have you gone Mr. Reynolds? We miss you.

Smoke 'em if you got 'em

It may be a hard sell to convince the sporting world that golfers are 'real' athletes when, on the toughest course in the toughest tournament, an overweight Angel Cabrera calmed his nerves with nicotine on his way to the U.S. Open championship. As Cabrera said, “There are some players that have psychologists. I smoke.” Tiger Woods' classy, skintight red shirt may have showed off his physique on Sunday, but it didn't help him make any birdies, which is what he really needed.

Cabrera's story is well documented in many places by now: Argentinian, worked as a caddy, never appeared on the Tonight Show. It is a story I like, and one which may remind us that 'taking the field' instead of Tiger may not be a bad choice. Sunday's coverage on NBC was a virtual love-in for Tiger Woods and I forget, did Johnny Miller shoot a 63 on Sunday in the Open? Oh and by the way, some guy named Cabrera (who snubbed a post-round interview) is, um, the winner. Nothing the American media likes more than a major champion who has a tenuous grasp on the English language.

Congratulations to Cabrera. While he stumbled a bit into the clubhouse (bogeys on 16 and 17), he pulled it together enough to par the 18th, not only the toughest hole on the course but one of the most challenging in Open history. Not easy to do with Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods breathing down your neck.

“I watched all the majors on TV when I was a kid,” Cabrera said. “I never thought I would be here at this moment.” He may never win another, but who cares? He has this: $1.26 million, a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, an exemption into the Open for 10 years, and a five-year exemption into the Masters, British Open, P.G.A. Championship and Players Championship. Not bad for a caddy from Argentina.

On a side note, I want to give it up for Whitey who claimed that, "6 over wins this tournament hands down!" On Thursday. One guy beat 6 over. Cabrera. Scanning the leaderboard, only two guys hit under par on Sunday: Cabrera and Anthony Kim; Cabrera was the only player with two rounds under par. Here's the list of players who, if they had played even with Cabrera (or hit even par) on Sunday, would have won or at least been in a playoff:

1. Tiger Woods
2. Jim Furyck
3. Bubba Watson
4. Justin Rose
5. Stephen Ames
6. Paul Casey
7. Aaron Baddeley
   

Bulldogs.....GONE!

Game 5 of the CWS just ended, and the Cardinals of Louisville hung 12 runs on the Bulldogs of Mississippi St. The Cards have scored an amazing 99 runs in the past 10 games. This was their first win at Rosenblatt Stadium. They now wait to see who they will play. North Carolina meets Rice in the nightcap of the day. The loser of that game will have their hands full with Louisville. With the 5th best pitching staff in the country and an offense of mashers, it's no wonder how they have become the darlings of Omaha. They played good defense, which was their downfall against Rice.

Louisville is the only University to place a team in the Final 4, a BCS bowl, and the CWS. I thought that was a factoid that need to be stated. It's just an amazing stat, and a testament to the commitment at the school to the athletic department. Basketball, you think Louisville. Football, somewhat a stretch, but if you picked them to go to Omaha I hope you bet the farm on it, or at least plan on playing the lotto this week.

Professor's response: Not only did Louisville crush MSU, they now get to face a UNC team that did not look so hot in their game against Rice. UNC starters have lasted a total of three innings combined in their first two games, and the Tarheels have used, count 'em, 12 pitchers. Should be fun...

Third wheel?

Kevin O'Sullivan has been named the new Head Coach at the University of Florida. He's leaving a great program at Clemson to take on Championshipville. Try being the baseball coach that joins Urban and Billy the Kid in Gainesville. Tough road, but I'm happy as a clam. I don't want to be called a "homer", but this guy gets it done. If there is any doubt, just read his accomplishments for yourself; Bob Dylan couldn't wax poetry like this. Give the respect to the Clemson Web page. They did the writing. The Gators just got the coach. As a fan of the Gators, and more so of baseball, I couldn't be happier for both the University of Florida and Kevin O'Sullivan. Let the next trip to Omaha start ..............now!

What's Next in Omaha

Well kids, the first round of the CWS is over and the Tar Heels took out the Bulldogs. Rice won the "fight of the fowl" with Louisville. The Sun Devils needed a comeback to beat the Anteaters, and the reigning champs of OSU (that's not the Buckeyes) got past the Titans of Cal St. Fullerton. That's as close to chalk as you can get. Now comes the interesting part.

The CWS is the only tournament that you can lose twice and still win the National Championship. In the setup, there are 2 brackets where 4 teams play double elimination. This means that the losers of the first round play each other, and the winners do as well. With one more loss the seasons of the MSU, Louisville, UC Irvine, and Cal St. Fullerton will be over. It looks like this:

Game 5 -- Louisville (46-23) vs. Mississippi State (38-21)
Game 6 -- Rice (55-12) vs. North Carolina (54-13)
Game 7 -- UC Irvine (45-16-1) vs. Cal State Fullerton (38-24)
Game 8 -- Arizona State (47-13) vs. Oregon State (45-18)

with the Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6 and the Winner of Game 7 vs. Loser of Game 8.

Winning the first 2 games for a team is most important, because they have in all probability used less of their bullpens than the loser's bracket teams. Which leads to my prediction that Carolina wins it all.

Sitting with a SEC fan, I hear "there's no way the Tar Heels take it all." The starter in their first game got yanked early in the game, which some would argue is a bad thing. However he will be able to come back at any point to relieve a starter, or even start himself. Sometimes the ball bounces in a funny way, and that's just what it does in Omaha. It brings to light the pressure of all 27 outs. All 4 winners were losing at some point in their first round games and came back with the defense making mistakes, or just not performing up to snuff. Yes there has to be offense, but like the Rice coach says, make the other team make the plays in the field.

The Beavers look as if they have no thought as to leave the trophy in Omaha with another institution, but we'll let the baseball gods see to that.

Today's match-ups will narrow the field by 2, and Monday games, another 2. That's 4 out of 8.

So what do I mean by losing twice and still winning the CWS. After double elimination play has whittled the teams to 2; those 2 teams play a best of 3 series. Just like last year, the Tar Heels won the first game and were just a few outs from winning the second game, but as Omaha would have it the Beavers rallied and went on to win the CWS. Some would say that the Tar Heels choked, but I say they just had the wheels fell off. Momentum is the biggest force in baseball, and twice that in the collegiate ranks.

Last year, the Professor and I were watching as the field turned to sludge for the Tar Heels, and the Beavers went on a power surge. Let's see who the pressure gets to today, and we'll talk later.